Terms of Reference (ToR)

Short-Term Consultancy: Trainer for Business Plan Development Training for Women Farmers – Baltistan Region

Project: GROW-Pak – Creating Resilient Opportunities for Women and Young People in Agriculture in Pakistan
Implementing Agency: Agribusiness Support Fund (ASF)
Location: Gilgit-Baltistan (Skardu, Shigar, Kharmang, Ghanche, Gilgit, Nagar, Hunza)
Duration: Short-term assignment (May 2026)
Total Participants: 60 women farmers (15 cooperatives)

1. Background

The GROW-Pak project aims to empower women and youth in Gilgit-Baltistan through inclusive and climate-resilient agricultural livelihoods. As part of this initiative, ASF has mobilized and strengthened women-led cooperatives across Gilgit-Baltistan.

While these cooperatives are actively engaged in agricultural production, they face challenges in accessing finance, entering new markets, and scaling their enterprises due to limited capacity in structured business planning. Developing business plans is essential for defining business goals, assessing market opportunities, estimating financial requirements, and engaging with financial institutions and buyers.

To address this gap, ASF intends to conduct Business Plan Development Training for selected women farmers from 15 cooperatives in Gilgit-Baltistan.

2. Objective of the Assignment

The purpose of this consultancy is to design and deliver practical, participatory training on business plan development to strengthen the entrepreneurial and business management capacities of women farmers and their cooperatives.

Specific Objectives:

• Build participants’ understanding of entrepreneurship and agribusiness concepts.
• Enhance skills in developing structured, realistic, and market-oriented business plans.
• Enable identification of viable market opportunities and value chains.
• Strengthen financial planning skills, including costing, pricing, and revenue estimation.
• Support cooperatives in planning for growth, sustainability, and risk management.

3. Scope of Work

The consultant/trainer will be responsible for:

1. Reviewing project documents and designing training materials aligned with GROW-Pak objectives.
2. Developing a one-day training module for each cohort, tailored to women cooperatives in Gilgit-Baltistan.
3. Delivering training sessions for 60 participants.
4. Facilitating sessions on:
• Basics of agribusiness and entrepreneurship
• Business plan development
• Market analysis and value chain identification
• Costing, pricing, and revenue estimation
• Risk assessment and sustainability planning
5. Leading participatory group work for cooperative-wise business plan development.
6. Supporting participants in preparing draft business plans during the training.
7. Facilitating presentations, feedback sessions, and discussions.
8. Coordinating closely with ASF field teams for logistics, mobilization, and implementation.
9. Conducting pre- and post-training assessments.
10. Submitting a comprehensive training completion report.

4. Expected Deliverables

• Training agenda and facilitation plan.
• Training materials (Manual in Urdu, presentations, handouts, exercises, and case studies).
• Delivery of training sessions.
• Draft business plans developed by participating cooperatives (15 Women Agribusiness Societies).
• Pre- and post-training evaluation summaries.
• Final report including:
• Key outcomes and learning
• Participant feedback
• Challenges and recommendations
• Success stories (if any)
• Photographic evidence

5. Duration and Timeline

• Assignment Period: May 2026
• Level of Effort: Approximately 10-14 working days (including preparation, delivery, and reporting)
• Training Duration: One-day training per group

6. Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Agribusiness Management, Agricultural Economics, Development Studies, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in agribusiness development, business planning, or capacity building of farmer organizations/cooperatives.
• Proven experience in delivering participatory and gender-sensitive trainings, preferably for women farmers or agribusiness groups.
• Strong understanding of market systems, value chains, and rural enterprise development.
• Excellent facilitation, communication, and reporting skills.
• Fluency in Urdu; knowledge of local languages (e.g., Balti) will be an advantage.

7. Reporting

The consultant will report to the Team Lead, GROW-Pak Project (ASF) and will coordinate closely with the regional field team in Gilgit and Baltistan.

8. Payment Terms

Payment will be made upon successful completion of the assignment, including delivery of training sessions and submission of the business plans and a final report, as per agreed terms.

9. Application Procedure

Interested candidates meeting the above criteria should submit:

• Detailed CV highlighting relevant experience